A Rustic Country Wedding
Want a
country-style wedding with rusticity and charm by the bucketful? Envisioning a glorious ride for two around the hayfield? See yourself gliding down the aisle in a fresh-as-summer cotton eyelet gown?
Then you've found the right place to help you pull off that special event you've always dreamed of!
Back to the Land
Country Colors
Start with a palette of earthy tones: yellows and golds, tans and umbers, sage and russet, celadon and cinnamon.
Farmhouse Flowers
Then, try building the theme around your favorite rustic flower (like
sunflowers, black-eyed susans or
daisies). Or borrow a carefree member of the insect world, such as bees,
butterflies or
dragonflies.
Festive Fields
For a venue, try a cornfield or a wheatfield, barn or cabin. Tents can travel to all kinds of charming spots. Call around for camps and lodges that lightly booked and eager for business.
Add Inexpensive Accents
Fancy up wedding arches, rafters and other focal spots with branches, bundles of corn stalks and sheaves of wheat. If you're lucky enough to be holding your event in a barn or a lodge, wrap any rafters and pillars in elegant twinkle lights.
For more country touches, draw on ears of dried corn, grapevine wreaths, hanging lanterns, and gourds and pumpkins (carve out your monogram, then give them some glow with a votive or a battery-powered light).
To jazz up personal focal points like favors and place settings, start with raffia ties and cinnamon sticks, individual wheat stalks or lavender springs, or Mason jars, burlap bags and small pots of jam or honey.
Country-Style Centerpieces
Let There Be Light
It's simple to set the table with a little down-home glory. Candles are inherently rustic, so start with tea lights floating in water-filled mason jars. Or tuck pillar candles into terra cotta pots, or place in glass cylinders filled with popcorn, dried peas or coffee beans.
Farmers' Market Flowers
Casual flowers make a big, joyous statement at a reasonable price. Try massing cheerful sunflowers in galvanized pails or watering cans. (You can even use a sunflower's enormous, friendly face as your ring pillow.) Or try sprays of shasta daisies, lupine and viburnum mixed in with small green apples wired to birch branches, or stuck to dowels. Or group colorful Gerber daisies into simple mason jars.
Twig to This Clever Idea
Speaking of birch branches, elegant bare-branch centerpieces can be set in any pot and anchored with Quik-Crete for sturdiness. They look especially lovely when lit with hanging votives. Then, warm up those dark corners and window sills with evocative punched tin lanterns.
More Rustic Touches
Give your guest an adorable first impression by hanging escort cards from wooden clothespins on a clothesline strung near the entrance.
When it's time to eat, dress up the chair backs at the sweetheart table with dramatic sheaves of wheat tied off with russet ribbons or roses. And if your main meal's held outside, you could set the stage with homey touches like buffet or serving tables made from planks set on hay bales and sawhorses. As for the guests, set up picnic-style seating with checkered, gingham or eyelet linens.
Galvanized washtubs look gorgeous filled with ice and drinks in vintage-style bottles (think: Stewart's Sodas — and ask your local suppliers about their best-tasting microbrews.) Don't forget the oversized jars filled with fresh iced tea and cold apple cider.
Treat your guests to home-cooked soul food like pot roast and pulled pork, fritters and cornbread, apple cider donuts and fruit pies.
As for cake, try any of the Autumn-style flavors on for size (spice or carrot, apple or pumpkin ...). Decorate with your favorite fresh flowers, making sure they're unsprayed and organic.
I am looking for Rustic/Country Ideas! My Wedding Colors will be Aqua, Teal, Tan & Choc. Brown. Wedding is in May in Wisconsin :)I have the Menu planned… mostly looking for decor ideas!!
~Rondi
Rondi,
Here are some ideas…
Part 2
This is pretty…
Lots of ideas here…
Nice ….
This too….
I love this….
Love this….
This could work….
This is more rustic elegance but you could easily get some ideas here….
i am marrying a true TX cowboy and are theme is western our colors are brown and light purple i can’t figure out what to do for centerpieces we are getting married on my family farm outside
Kelly,
I would keep and have it simple using mason jars full of light purple or assorted purple wildflowers. This is also great, love the burlap…
You might also like some ideas here….
And here…
mix in a lime green…either greenery or some flowers are called white, but have a green tint to them. use tin flower pots. Saw some inexpensive ones at Target in the front where the $1-2.50 items are. I am going back to get some for a country party we are doing. Tie in some burlap and your purple flowers and ribbon.
My daughter is getting married in June to a wheat farmer. The theme of the wedding and reception is Tractors, wheat, rustic no farm animals or cowboy hats. Im looking for unique reception favors and center peices. any ideas?
Pade,
What about wheat centerpieces? Google image wheat wedding centerpieces for loads of great ideas and pics. Look at this site for tractor theme items...
You could also give jars of jelly, jam, honey, roasted peanuts in simple brown paper bags.
I’m getting married in October 2013 and really would like a “rustic” themed wedding. I live in RI and am finding a very hard time locating a “rustic” wedding venue, does anyone have any idea’s for me to check out? I would perfer to get married outdoors then have the reception indoors.
Hi Francesca,
My daughter is getting married in 2013 with a rustic theme and we found that some apple orchards, or family fall festival farms may rent out their properties. Also vineyards or Amish gathering places may be an option. God Bless and hope for good weather!!
I am having a autumn fall/western wedding in Oct 2012 and I can not find invitations anywhere that I like. Can you help with that? Also I cant decide what to do for table center pieces. My colors are brown and autumn orange.
Tara,
What about keeping centerpieces if fall leaves? That would be a perfect compliment to a fall western wedding. You could even have invites with fall leaf motif in a old looking parchment paper and old west style writing. Google image search western theme weddings, then western theme wedding invites. Also tried cowboy weddings then cowboy wedding invites. Found loads of ideas and links that may be helpful.
Real wedding..
For more ideas google image rustic wedding centerpieces. But mason jars are all the rage, I would definitely think of fall leaves in mason jars. You could also think about pumpkins etc. Use tin cans for containers or old wood boxes. Fill with pinecones or anything natural.
Google image mason jar wedding for some great ideas as well.
Thank You I will look into the leaves and I love the mason jars with tealight candles.
I am using pumpkins and mums as decorations so I think the fall leaves will be perfect!! Thanks again!
Try Zazzle.com – I found tons of ideas on that website.
I found online where someone did mason jar invitations they looked rustic and cute they are paper in the shape of a mason jar and you tie a piece of grass string on them. For the center pieces i saw on http://www.save-on-crafts.com they had a small wooden crate with milk jars in it, could be used with wild flowers in them or candles. mason jars are also good vases or candle holders.
Thank You Sue and Connie!
Check out etsy.com. I searched country country rustic wedding and found several ideas there
Getting married in June. Small country wedding. My dress is short and I’ll be wearing Cowboy boots with it. Fiance is in the army and he will be wearing his dress blues. Braidsmaids will probably be wearing sundresses…but, We have NO idea what colors to choose from =/. At first it was pink and hunter green then purple and yellow and then pink and yellow but those are all to “girly” he says. can anyone give us ideas?!
Tasha,
Do you have a link to your venue? Also what colors do you both like? In these cases I suggest you picking a color and he picks a color, pairing a feminine color with a masculine color for a great combo. Example Navy blue and pink, Brown and pink,etc. You could also just go with a wildflower theme. Pick assorted wildflowers/garden flowers. Have the girls in a solid color like navy or even light blue, green, etc. Pull in the mason jars, country cooking and have an amazing wedding. You donot have to match the grooms uniform, his uniform is actually meant to stand out in honor.
Check this out
A blog you might enjoy…
and last
Blue Jean sun dresses their favorite pair of boots with sunflowers to hold to add color
Tasha, Sounds pretty much like my wedding my my fiance is not in the Army or anything. At first we were going to do the Turquoise and brown but and were going to do different color gerber daisys but then decided on yellow and brown. the guys and be in brown button ups and the girls are in the yellow or brown sundresses with boots and we are doing sunflowers and daisys!
I saw rustic orange bridemaids dresses…Where can I find the orange dresses?
Also, I will get married next Sept 2012…I would like to have rustic western wedding theme…
Lisa,
Jim Hjelm and Alfred Angelo are good places to start.You can also try House of Brides and Best Bridal Prices websites. Make sure the orange you choose works with their skintones. Orange can be a difficult color to wear.
Color Tips
Real Wedding
For loads of pics google image western rustic wedding theme. I am here if you need more help!!
I am getting married in May, we have a gorgeous venue chosen, its a gorgeous rustic barn. The groomsmen are wearing boots and bridesmades in short dresses and boots. I am undecided on a dress and what type of dresses I want my maid of honor to wear which will be my seven year old daughter.
Christine,
Could you tell me the color scheme? What color are the girls dresses and guys shirts? Also if you could post your pic, front facing and give me your measurements,I can find ideas for your body type. The event sounds casual-semi casual, so you will want a dress to compliment the setting and formality. For your daughter, finding something that compliments with the bridal party would be best. Can’t wait to hear from you!!
I am getting married Dec. 30th. Very simple, in a country church, groom is wearing jeans and boots, Im undecided re dress, but def not a traditional bridal gown. We would like to keep it simple & stick with a christmas/winter theme. Any ideas or recommendations?
Kristi,
If you can give me your measurements and height, I can look for some ideas for dresses. I suggest a simple aline, from floor length to knee length. You could also consider a colored dress instead of white or ivory. Look to your own closet to see which styles you lean to most. Some brides opt for a cardigan over their dress, which is very nice. Look at your skintone too, finding the best complimenting color. Also what color will the grooms shirt be? You could look for something along those color lines. Maybe a long sleeve?
Try this search …
Here’s another for you …
Dont know if you would like to go this route but look at this wedding…
Or see this
So my wedding is in 2 and half wks! Gotta get it together and I am nowhere near! Having a small country wedding, short dress and boots! No tux. Riata pants and button up shirt! Looking for some cute decoration ideas, Our colrs are teal and tan!
Sure hope I can get some great responses!
Cortney,
Look at these “southern wedding table” features (here’s the second one)
I think something like this would be great! If you added sunflowers to your scheme, mason jars full of sunflowers and greenery, etc….
try this link out
gorgeous!
Cortney, Look at all the decor at this wedding, entire pages of it!
( this would be nice using fall wildflowers, scoop up mums at walmart)
check this one out
You might like this too ….
Butch and I are getting married in a small park near a river October 27, 2012. The reception will be in a rustic lodge built during the Depression. Any decorating ideas, favors and colors? Butch hunts and fishes and I grew up on a farm.
Sherrie,
Do you have a link or pic to the venue? Also do you both have fave colors? You could each choose one and it would personalize your entire decor. I love edible favors. Think jams, jellies, a fave candy or cookie you have you could share it with your guests. Some weddings have smore fixins’ in clear bags. Here is a wedding I just love, it could be an option for your wedding decor and perfect for a rustic lodge….
Do you know which them you wanted or any theme? You could take cue from nature, the lodge, or even the year the lodge was built.
Sherrie,
Kiss comes to mind here,(Keep it special simple) Damask table cloths antique if you can find them (ebay has a few), just add a simple elegant feel,etsy shows cut wood as a cake plate, and tiered wood servers adds a rustic feel also, i also found browning deer cake topper. other hunting and fishing toppers can be found on the internet.